The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-05
THE LEGEND
OF
The Man With the Golden Brain.


Upon reading your letter, madam, l
experienced feeling of remorse. l
acknowledge that my short stories are
usually too deeply tinged with sadness
to be pleasing, and l hoped to-day to
offer you something joyous, entirely
free from errors cankering touch. Why
should l be sad after ALP live
thousand leagues from the smoky mists
of Paris, upon breezy hill, in the
country of tamborines and muscat wine.
NY home is surrounded by light and
music; / have orchestras of white tails,
concerts OF tomtits; in the morning the
curlew's merry song, "coureH
coareir at noon, the grasshopper's
monotonous cry; then, as afternoon
shadows steel athwart the earth the
sheperds softly awaken the mountain
echoes with their sweet-toned flies,
while the joyous, silvery laughter of
the beautiful brown girls of fair Prov
ence, floats through the evening air TO
my charmed ear from the vineyards.
In truth, the place seems badly cho-
sen for inspiring aught of sombre hues.
ought rather to dispatch from hence
to you rose-colored poems and baskets
full of lively tales. All, well, mol 1
am still too near Paris. Every day its
waves Of misery surging high, dash
even into the midst of my lofty pines
their murky spray of gloom. Even as
l write, the sad tidings have reached
me of the miserable death Of poor
Charles Barbara, and my mill is all in
mourning.
Farewell to the merry curlews, and
The grasshoppers! have no more
heart for anything gay. This is why,
madam, instead of the pretty sportive
tale which | hoped to send you, you
will receive from me but a melancho-
ly legend.
There was once man who had q
golden brain. Yes, madam, a brain
entirely of gold. When he came into
the world the physicians thought it i'm
possible for this child to live, his head
was so very heavy, and his skull so
huge. He lived nevertheless, thriving
in the sunshine rs q beautiful olive
plant; still, his head continuing dis
proportionately large, always encum-
bered him with its weight. 1t was pitt
full to behold him stumbling and falling
as he walked, bruising himself against
the furniture.
One day he rolled from the top of
staircase, striking his forehead against
a marble step below, where his skull
sounded like an ingot His parents be-
lieved him dead, but upon raising him
there was found only slight wound,
with two or three drops of gold gath
cred in his light hair. 1t was thus that
the discovery was made that the CHI Id
possessed golden brain.
This secret was carefully preserved.
The poor little one himself was entirely
ignorant of it. From time to time he
inquired why he was not at liberty to
play with boys in the street. They
would rob you, my beautiful treasure,
his mother always replied.
Thus the little fellow. acquiring
great fear of being robbed, became ac-
customed TO play all alone, never speak
ing to any one. aud skipping heavily
from one parlor to the other.
Not until he was eighteen years old
did his parents reveal to him the mon
strous gift bestowed upon him by des-
tiny, and in return for having nour-
ished and educated him thus far, they
demanded of him little Of his gold.
The boy did not hesitate. Immedi-
ately chow, by what means. the legend
does not telD he plucked away from
his skull fragment of massive gole as
large as walnut, which he proudly
threw upon the knees Of his mother.
Then, dazzled by. the riches that he car